Seam-pressing machine



Dec. 18 1923.

L. J. VAN GUELPEN SEAM PRESSING MACHINE 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 11

L. J. VAN GUELPEN SEAM PRESSING MACHINE Dec. 18, 1923.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 11, 1919 Patented Dec. 13, 1923.

earear LOUIS J. VAN GUELPEN, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SEAM-PBESSING MACHINE.

Application filed November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,248.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs J. VAN GUEL- PEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seam-Pressing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention broadly relates tothe pressing of seams especially where two pieces of material are sewed together reversely and in thus being sewed, a seam extends from said material at approximately a right angle, at least it extends away from the main body of the leather and should lie in close contiguity thereto. One example will be here given of this kind of work. In sewing two pieces of leather together to form a vamp for a shoe, the two finished surfaces are laid together and are sewed together near the edge leaving margins of leather beyond the sewing; when sewed and the vamp is laid out in an extended position, these marginal edges stand upward and away from. the leather and they must be pressed down upon the body of the leather, one to the right and one to the left, that is, on opposite sides of where the joint will be, so as to make as even a flat surface as is possible, so that the stay or webbing can be sewed over this joint to keep it intact and then the leather is reversed showing a butt oint. My invention relates particularly to leveling, breaking down and evening out these marginal edges so that the rest of the work can proceed.

By the use of my invention, this seam is pressed down more rapidly, more evenly and more symmetrical than by the means now employed; the seam, when pressed, also holding its pressed position, without any tendency to buckle or raise. I also prevent the seam from splitting, stretching and breaking, and thus present a seam better adaptable for commercial use.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of my machine, parts shown in elevation,

Fig. 2, is a view, in elevation, of the front of the machine,

Fig. 3, is a section on the line 33, of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4, is a section on line H, of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5, is a plan view of slide contact mechanism which I employ,

- -Fig. 6, is a section on line 66, of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7, is a sectional view of the spindle, carrying the heating unit and pressing tool, the unit and pressing tool being, however, shown in elevation,

Fig. 8, is a sectional view of supporting roller and pressing tool, the pressing tool sho wn pressing on the material, and

Fig. 9, is an isometric view of the spreadingtool.

In carrying out my invention, I prefer ably employ a frame composed of a hollow base part 1 and a hollow upwardly and for wardly extending arm 2, of any suitable contour.

The driving shaft of the machine is marked 3 and is journaled and supported in the arm 2, as shown at l4, carrying a drive pulley 5 and an eccentric 6, rigidly attached to the shaft 3. A strap 7 is placed around the eccentric and an arm 8 attached to said strap, and at its opposite end said arm is loosely and slidably attached to an arm or lever 9 carrying adjusting slot 10. This lever 9 is rigidly attached to rock shaft 11, journaled at 12*12, as shown. Motion is imparted and the shaft 11 is rocked or oscillated through the medium of eccentric 6, strap 7, arm 8 and lever 9, when the drive shaft 3 is revolving. At the forward end of rock shaft 11, I rigidly attach the lever 13. This lever 13, at its lower extremity, carries a loosely attached roller 14, which works in a slot 15, in asliding housing 16, having arms 17 and 18 which surround the spindle 19; and are stationary therewith, thus allowing said spindle to move forward and backward when the housing 16 is moved or slides forward and backward on the side shafts 20 and 21, which are stationary in the sides of the arm 2, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 2.

At the forward end of the base 1, I provide a hollow part 22. In this part 22, I place a pressure wheel housing 23, which slides up and down in the recess 2 1 in part 22; the housing 23 being mounted on a shaft 25, narrowed at its lower extremity 26, where it passes down through the bottom of the part 22 and carries the screw threads 27, to the extremity of which are screwed the adjusting nuts 28. Attached to the bottom of shaft 25 is a chain 29, which leads to a treadle (not shown), or any other mechanism upon which the operator can step or can operate, to bring down the housing 23 and shaft 25; a pressure wheel or work support 30, is loosely attached in the housing 23 on the pin 31, and revolves on said pin, so that when the operator pulls down the shaft and housing, this support roller 30 moves down so that the material can be entered between said roller and the pressing tool, to be hereinafter described, when the operator releases the treadle, the spring 32, which has been stressed, forces the parts back into normal position. The housing 23 may be called the roller or work support carrier.

The spindle 19, which, as before stated, is rigidly attached to the arms 17 and 18 of housing 16, and which slides or moves forward and backward with the housing 16, is preferably hollow and carries perforations or holes 33, to cool the same. In this spin- 'dle I place an electric heating unit 34 at tached by wires 35 to any electric current system. At its lower extremity, this spindle carries a pressing tool 36 which has a shank 37, extending up into the spindle and held fast by set crew 38. This pressing tool is fiat, having rounded ends and carries on its face, at the center or approximately thereto, a guide rib 39. I may use any other shape or form of pressing tool.

To the arm 18, of the housing 16, I adjustably connect at 40, a downwardly extending arm 41, which carries at its lower end a spreader or spreading tool 42. I may make this spreader of any shape, but prefer, in the present instance, to form it with a central or middle nose or rib 43 and with wings 44 on each side thereof.

To the top of the spindle 19, I attach a fibre or insulating collar and arm 45 made integral. To this fibre part 45, I attach two spring fingers 4646.

On the rear side of the arm 2, I attach a bracket 47, carrying a piece of fibre 48, or other insulating material; on top of this fibre 48, I place two contacts 4949 (see particularly Fig. 5). These fingers 46 and contact points 49 are insulated from each other. I attach electric terminal wires 50, to the contacts 49, to allow the electric current to pass into the contact points 49, which in turn pass the current into the spring fingers 46 and thence the current passes on into the heating unit 34.

The material in Fig. 8, is marked 50, its marginal edges which are to be ironed out and depressed to form a flat seam are marked 60.

My machine irons the seam to a fiat desired shape. The roller 30 turns or revolves as the stock 50 is pulled over its face by the operator.

The ironing or pressing tool 36 moves forward and backward very rapidly as the spindle or tube 19 moves forward and backward when its housing 16 slides forward and backward on the shafts 2020, which are carried in forward end of the arm 2; by

reason of cam roller 14 on lever 13, rigidly attached to the shaft 11, which is oscillated by the lever 9 rigidly attached to rear end of shaft 11, the lever 9 having a loosely connected arm 8 extending down to strap 7, which strap is around eccentric 6, rigidly attached to shaft 3, revolves by pulley 5, as shown in Fig. 1.

Heat is retained in the heating unit 34 in spindle 19 and the iron or pressing tool 36 is thus kept in heated condition to do the work. Inasmuch as the iron or presser tool 36 reciprocates or moves in order to keep constant heat in said iron or presser tool 36, the fingers 4646, are resting on the contact points 4949, that is, sliding forward and backward thereon as the spindle 19 and its tool 36 are being reciprocated.

The roller 30 may be of any shape, it may even be made flat, if desired, as it is a work support for the material as it is worked under the iron 36.

The operator takes the articles to be pressed or worked upon, on each side of the seam and enters it between the roller and the spreading tool and then gradually pushes or pulls the material backwards so the same can be worked upon by the ironing or pressing tool and the spreader as hereinafter set forth.

IVhile the iron or pressure tool 36 is ironing out the two marginal parts 6060, of the material 50, (see particularly Fig. 8), the rib 39 on the tool 36 is working in the space between the two margins 60, where they are sewed together and thus keeping them in alignment and assisting in pressing out the material at the joint, in order to form a butt joint, pressed down and flattened out to be even, uniform and symmetrical. As the heated iron or pressure tool 36 and its rib 39 are operating forward and backward very rapidly, and pressing out, ironing and knocking down the parts at the joint, the spreader 42 is operating and reciprocating with the tool 36, spreading, separating and laying down the marginal parts 60-60. to better enable the heated tool 36 to iron and flatten out the work. The nose 43 sinks down into the material at the joint and on account of the peculiar shape of the wings 44, (like two plow shares joined together), the marginal parts 6060, are gradually spread apart and laid or forced down, so the iron 36 and rib 39 of said iron, can quickly, evenly and readily flatten out the joint.

I may use one of these spreaders at each end of the iron if I desire, and shape them as best suited for the work.

I wish to be understood as not limiting myself to the precise or specific description of my machine herein set forth, but may modify and change the same without departing from the spirit and principle of my invention, 4

What I claim as new and my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a. machine of the character described, work supporting means for supporting the work, a heated reciprocating tool for exerting pressure and flattening out said work, said tool operating in line with the seam of said work; and means on said tool for keeping the work in alignment as said tool is reciprocated.

2. In a machine of the character described, work supporting means for supporting the work operated upon, in combination with a forwardly and backwardly reciprocating ironing tool having a rib on its under surface.

3. In a machine of the character described, work supporting means for supporting the work operated upon, in combination with a heated forwardly and backwardly reciprocating ironing tool having a rib on its under surface.

4'. In a machine of the character described, Work supporting means for supporting the Work operated upon, in combination with a heated forwardly and backwardly reciproeating ironing tool having a rib on its under surface, and spreading means operating in connection with said tool.

5. In a machine of the character described, a roller for supporting the work to be operated upon, in combination with a forwardly and backwardly reciprocating heated ironing tool, said ironing tool having a rib on its under surface.

6. In a machine of the character described, means for supporting work to be operated upon, in combination with forwardly and backwardly reciprocating means for ironing same, means for keeping the ironing means in alignment during reciprocation thereof, said ironing means being electrically heated through sliding contact means as specified.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 6th day of November, 1919.

LOUIS J. VAN GUELPEN. 

